Fuel pulverizer and feeder



Filed Oct. 6, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

INVENTOR. Zic/z fi/Wy' ATTORNEY.

Aug. 16, 1938. F. HOGG 2,126,776

FUEL PULVERIZER AND FEEDER Filed oct. e, 1933 4- sheets-sheet 2 1NVENToR.-. @0776111 #yy ATTORNEY.

Aug. v16, 1938.

F. HOGG AFUEL PULvERIzEE AND FEEDER 4 sheets-sheet s Filed Oct. 6, 1933 INV ENTOR.

@gazed @yy ATTORNEY.

`F. HOGG FUEL PULVERIZER AND FEEDER Aug. 16, 193s.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 6, 1933 7,. 1N VE NTOR. Maffe/4 7T/#yg ATTORNEY.

Patentedy Aug, 16, 1938 "UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE assignments, to The Standard Stoker Company, Inc. (1922), New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Applicata@ octgber s, 1933, serial No. 692,385 cciims. (ci. 11o- 106) The p resent invention relates to certain novel improvements in apparatus for pulverizing and feeding fuel to a furnace of any known construction, although primarily the improvements which I have devised are productive of an apparatus particularly adaptable for use on steam locomotives and their tenders. v

Foremost of the objects of this invention `is the provision of such improved apparatus, which comprises a conveying system receiving run-of-mine coal from a fuel bin, crushing means for reducing the coal to a suitable size for delivery to a pulverizing unit, and a heating or drying means which thoroughly dries the coal in its transit through the conveying system whereby a more friable fuell is'introduced to the pulverizing unit. Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel conveying system which includes a plurality of fuel conduits arranged in a labyrinth-like 2 0 formation and having suitable conveying mechal nism therein whereby the coal received from the fuel bin is urged through this labyrinth conduit formation in order that the heating ,or drying process may be effectively carried out and also so that a further reduction in the size of the coal may be produced by this prolonged conveyance.

` In one of its broader phases, the present invention also contemplates the `provision of a stoker conduit which is provided with a heating or drying unit for driving off the excess moisture in the fuel. v

It is also an object of this invention to provide a 'fuel pulverizing unit which is especially adaptable for installation on a locomotive and which is of a simple and durable construction.

.These and other objects and advantages will be fully described in the following specification which is accompanied by the drawings illustrating Athe invention, and in which Figure 1 isa central vertical longitudinal sectionthrough adjacent portions of a locomotive and tender with the fuel pulverizer and feeder shown in similar section and a portion of the burner in elevation;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 with parts thereof removed or `broken away and the locomotive and tender indicated by conventional lines;

Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section through adjacent portions of `the locomotive and tender, showing the fuel pulverizer and feeder ln side elevation with parts broken away to illustrate the fuel heating or drying system;

o trough 24.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4'of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 6--6 of 5 Figure l with parts beingr shown in plan; and

Figure '7 is a transverse cross sectional view' taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 3.

On these drawings, the locomotive is shown v at A, the tender at B and the coupling member lo connecting these vehicles at C. The locomotive A includes a boiler I0 and the flrebox II having a hollow backwall I2' with an opening I3 therethrough. Extending" rearwardly from the back- Wall I2 is a floor I4 which forms a .deck for the 15 cab I5. The cab I5 and the firebox II are supported in a well known manner from the frames IB, vwhich also carry the locomotive running gear (not shown). The tender B includes the underframe Il and a floor `I8 abovesaid underframe 20 which forms the bottom of a fuel bin I9. The space between the floor I8 and the underframe I1 constitutes a compartment 20 in which the con- `veying system S issupported.

The conveying system S includes the fuel transfer conveyor casing 2| which is preferably rigidly secured to the underframe Il as by means of bolts passing through the supports 22, and a conduit 23 which leads forwardly toward the locomotive. 'In order that certain of the objects of 30 this invention may be carried out, I have made the fuel transfer conveyor casing 2| of a novel construction and it includes the open mouth trough 24 which receives coal from the bin I9 through an aperture 25 in thc ilcor I8.` This aper- -35 ture 25 is closed by the slidable plates 26 which may be moved from their covering position to form-a relatively small opening in the floor I8 through which coal falls by' gravity into the coal therefrom through on opening 33 at the rear of the transfer conveyor casing 2| and remote 50 from the opening 29. In like manner, a' conveyor screw 34 urges the coal through the conduit 32 forwardly toward the locomotive. It will, of course, be imderstood that the crusher 2'8 may be of any known construction so as to 6 A conveyor screw 2l`is rotatably 4,0`

reduce the coal to the required size and likewise, any number of conduits such as 8|, 82 may be employed so that the crushed coal may be conveyed through the labyrinth-likeI transfer conveyor casing 2| whereby the further reduction in size of the coal. and its heating and drying, hereinafter to be fully described, may beY effectively accomplished.

The conduit 28 preferably is universally connected to the forward end ofthe transfer conveyor casing 2| as at 88, and in the present instance, a spherical flange 86 is formed with the forward end of the conduit 82 to which is connected the conduit 28 by means of a ball and socket clamp 81. The conduit 28 is composed of the telescopic sections 88 and 88, the rearward section 88 being universally connected to the transfer conveyor casing 2| while the forward section 88 is universally carried by the locomotive as by means of the bracket 4l which carries the spherical clamp 4| for supporting the ball member 42 of the front section 38. A conveyor screw 48 is housed within the conduit 28 and it is universally connected as at 44 to the screw 34 of the conduit 82. The conveyor screw 43 receives fuel from the transfer conveyor casing 2| and urges itv forwardly to the locomotive and delivers the same into a pulverizer P which is mounted on the frames I6 of the locomotive.

, In order that the conveyor screws may be readily reversed, the rear wall of the transfer con-` veyor casing 2| is provided witha curved portion, |8| which merges into the bottom wall |82 of the conduit 82. Likewise. the front wall |88 is curved as at |84 so as to merge with the bottom wall |85 of the conduit 88. Thus, when the conveyor screws are reversed in order to release a clog in the conveying system, the fuel will not` be packed against dat walls at either end of the transfer conveyor, but will instead be guided upwardly along the curved walls I8 |84 and thence toward the adjacent conduit. as clearly shown in Figure i of the drawings.

In order that the coal delivered to the pulverizer P from the bin |8 be free from moisture, provision has been made for heating and drying the coal during its transit through the conveying system -s. Leading from the locomotive boiler is a mam heater steam pipe 48 which passes through the rearward section 88 of the conduit 28. A plurality of pipes such as 48 branch from the main steam heater Ipipe and extend longitudinally within the conduit 28. Adjacent each exterior side of the conduit 28, flexible connections such as 48a, 41 connect the heater pipes'48, 48 respectively, each of which extends longitudinally within the transfer conveyor casing 2|. Preferably, the bottom conduit 82 is provided 'with sides l88, Il which extend above and are in spaced relation with the lower portion of the intermediate conduit 88, forming therewith pockets 82,4 I8. 'I'he heaterA pipes 48, 48 pass through these pockets and are provided with return bends such as I4, il, the ends of the lowermost return bends Il extend exteriorly through the sides ll, 4Il and then extend inwardly to form a Y which is provided with a' drain valve 88.

When steam is admitted to the pipe 48, it will be seen that the longitudinal pipes 48 in the conduit 28 and the heater pipes 48, 48, I4 and Il of the transfer conveyor casing 2| will become nlled with steam, thereby inc the temperature in thev adjacent fuel conduits. e intermediate conduit 88 is provided with a lurality ofrapertures I'I, whereby circulation of the warm air currents is increased. Condensation in the heating system will pass throughla drain valve such as 58, of which there may be several. It will of course be understood that exhaust steam could be entrained through the heating system, and in this event drain valves would not be used and the exhaust steam could be introduced into the waterl tank of the tender increasingthe temperature of the water therein. Any number of return bends could be used, depending upon the temperature at which it is desired to dry the coal and if it were desirable to heat the coal to a degree higher than that usually reached during the drying process, it is within the scope of this invention to accomplish this.

The coal having been crushed to' the desired size and dried or heated to the desired extent is then delivered by the conveying system S into the pulverizer P, which is of a novel construction. The pulverizer P includes the base 58 which is secured to the frames I6 as bymeans of the bolts 58' passing through this base and the vhousing cover 68 which, together with the base 58 forms a casing 6| for maintaining the parts of the pul' pinion for transmitting power to the upright shaft 83. 'Ihe upright shaft 63 carries a rotor 66 which is in the form of a truncated cone and immediately thereabove is a conic disc 61, also rotatably mounted with the upright shaft 63.

Crushed coal which is delivered to the pulverizer P is ilrst introduced between the rollers 68,69 which rotate inwardly when viewed rfrom above and are disposed slightly above the apex of the conic disc 61. These rollers 68, 69 grind the crushed coal which is then dropped over the revolving conic disc 61 and then passes between the closely adjacent faces 'of the rotr 66 and a bull-ring 18 for pulverization. The bull-ring 10 is movable vertically as by means of the adjusting bolts 1| whereby any degree of neness in the pulverized coal may be attained. After the coal has been pulverized to the desired degree, it drops onto a fan 12 which is in assembled relation with the rotor 68. The fan 1 2 is provided with a plurality of blades such as 13 andJ its closely adjacent the major portion of the side wall 14 of the housing cover 88; A portion of this side wall 'I4 is in the form of a volute curve 15 forming a space 18 between the periphery of the fan 12 and the side wall 14. The fan blades 13 impel the pulverized coal through this space 1S and through a tube 11 connecting the discharge` end 18 of the pulveriler P and the intake end 18 of the burner R. In the present instance. the burner R enters the rebox through the firing opening I3, although it will be appreciated that the pulverized fuel may be introduced into the furnace in any other convenie'nt manner.

The conveying system S and the pulverizer P are driven in the following manner. A motor M constitutes the prime mover and h asv a crank or power shaft 88, one end of which carries a gear 8|. The gear," meshes with a pinion y,82 on one 'end of the shaft 8l which shaft also carries the pinion 8l on its opposite end for driving the rotor 88 and the fan 12. Another pinion 84 also meshes with the gear 81| and it in turnl drives a worm shaft 8l. This worm shaft 88 is provided with a worm gear 88 which engages the worm the worm wheel s1 is the matting u wmnextends to theprear of the conveying system S and drives the connected gearing B9 housed in the gear casing 90. The gearing 89 is operatively connected to the rearwardkends of the conveyor screws 21, 3|, 34 and irl-this manner transmits power thereto. At its end remote from the pinion 84, the worm shaft Mis-operatively connected to the gearing 9| disposed irl the housing 92 and operatively connected to the crushing rollers 63, 69. In this manner a single motor M is utilized for driving the conveying system S and the pulverizer P, although if found desirable, a separate motor can be used for each unit.

I claim the following structures to b'e within the scope of this invention.

1 In combination with a locomotive and a l tender, the former being provided with a rebox and the latter having a. fuel bin, a fuel conveying system including a transfer conveyor mounted on the tender beneath said fuel bin, said transfer,

conveyor including a trough in open communication With said bin, a conduit beneath said trough and communicating therewith through a common opening at the forward end of said transfer conveyor, a conveyor for advancing fuel to said common opening and deliveringthe same into the conduit therebeneath, a conduit beneath the first named conduit and communicating therewith through a common openingat the rear of said transfer conveyor, a conveyor inthe first named conduit receiving fuel delivered thereinto by the conveyor in said trough, said second named conveyor advancing fuel to the opening communicating with the second named conduit, and a conveyor screw in the second named conduit receiving the fuel delivered into the second named conduit and advancing it toward the forward end of said transfer conveyor, a conduit flexibly related with said transfer conveyor and arranged to receive fuel therefrom, said flexibly related conduit leading forwardly toward the rebox and being flexibly connected with respect thereto, a

conveyor for advancing fuel through said flexibly related conduit, a heating device for said conveying system, said heating device including a plurality'of tubular members extending interiorly of said transfer conveyor and a plurality oftubular members extending interiorly of said flexibly related conveyor, a flexible connection between the tubular members of said transfer conveyor and the tubular members of said exibly related conveyor adjacent the flexible connection between said conveyors, means for supplying a heating fluid to such tubular members and means for introducing the fuel-into the firebox.

2 In a. locomotive having a rebox and a .cab deck and atender for said locomotive having a fuel bin. a fuel casing below the tender floor arranged to receive lumpfuel from said bin, screw conveying means mounted irl/said fuel casing for conveying fuel therethrough, means in said fuel casing for granulating said lump fuel, a pulverizer mounted on the locomotive beneath the deck thereof, conveying means for delivering fuel from said fuel casing to said pulverizer, said conveying means being flexibly related with said fuel casing 'and said pulverizer providing for movement of said conveying means as relative movement between the locomotive and tender occurs, a

heating device including a plurality 4oftubular members extending into said conveying meanslongitudinally thereof arranged ,'-fo'r movement with said conveying means, means for supplying.

livering to the rebox and a blower mounted on the locomotive beneath the deck thereof for blowing the pulverized fuel through said conduit into the frebox. 4

3. In a locomotive having a rebox and a cab deck and a tender for said locomotive having a fuel bin, a fuel casing mounted on the tender .beneath and in communication with said fuel bin, means in said casing for conveying fuel therethrough, means associated therewith for granulating the lump fuel, a fuel pulverizer'mounted on the locomotive beneath the cab deck thereof, a transfer conduit communicating with and extending forwardly from said tender casing and at its forward end opening downwardly to said pulverizer for delivering granulated fuel thereto, said transfer conduit-being flexibly connected with said tender casing and said pulverizer providing for movement of said transfer conduit as relative movement between the locomotive and tender occurs, a heating device for said tender casing and transfer conduit including a plurality of tubular members, a flexible connection between the tubular members of said tender casing and said transfer conduit adjacent the flexible con- .nection between said tender casing and saidtransfer conduit, means for supplying a heating fluid to said tubular members, a conduit communicat-` ing with said .pulverizer and delivering to the rebox and a blower mounted on the locomotive beneath the deck thereof for blowing pulverized fuel through said last named conduit into the flrebox.

4. In a locomotive having a firebox and a cab deck and a tender for said locomotive having a fuel bin, a conveyor casing mounted on the tender beneath said bin, said conveyor casing including a plurality of conduits, said conduits being approximately U-shaped in cross section, the straight sides thereof flaring laterally, said U- shaped conduits being offset one above the other and each being received between the side walls of the conduit immediately therebeneath, one of said conduits receiving fuel from said bin and arranged to communicate with an adjacent conduit through a common opening, a conveyor for advancingfuel in the rst named conduit toward said opening, a conveyor in the adjacent conduit receiving fuel from said opening for advancing means for supplying a heating fluid to said tubu ylar members, a conduit communicating with said pulverizer and delivering to the rebox and a blower mounted on the locomotive beneath the r deck thereof for blowing pulverized fuel through said last named conduit into the frebox.

5. In a fuel conveying system,v theV combination of a source of fuel supply, a. transfer cnveyor receiving fuel from the source of supply, said transfer conveyor comprising afplurality of conduits approximately U-shaped in cross section, one above and partially fitting within the other to provide a common wall between said conduits, a plurality of longitudinally extending tubular members within a lower-conduit. means for supplying a heating fluid to said tubular members, a plurality of apertures in the sides of the common wall between the said lower conduit and the conduit immediately thereabove to permit a circulation of heat from the lower conduit into the conduit immediately thereabove, an opening in the' bottom of the common wa'll between the lower conduit and the conduit immediately thereabove, av fuel conveyor in said upper conduit arranged ior advancing fuel towardv said opening for delivering fuel to said lower conduit, and a fuel conveyor in said lower conduit.

6. In combination with a locomotive and a tender, the former being provided with a flrebox and the latter having a fuel bin, a fuel conveying system including atransfer conveyor mounted on the tender and receiving fuel therefrom and advancing it toward the locomotive and a conveyor flexibly connected with said transfer conveyor and arranged to receive fuel therefrom, said flexibly connected conveyor leading forwardly toward the flrebox and being flexibly connected with respect thereto, fuel crushing means in said transfer conveyor, a heating device for said conveying system, said heating device including a pluralityof tubuveyors. means for supplying a heating fluid to such tubular members and means for introducing the fuel into the rebox.

` FRANCIS HOGG. 

